In addition, certain rule modifications that we use will be added in when we feel that they have been stress tested to the point of game balance.
Ability Scores
For our PCs in the setting, we determine ability scores by using the Elite Array (15, 14, 13, 12 10, 8) and then adding 5 extra points as desired on a one-for-one basis. This allows PCs to be very potent in a few abilities while still having flaws, or more well rounded. The maximum any score can be after the 5 points have been distributed is 18 without racial modifiers.
Based on our experience, characters generated using this method have a very cinematic hero feel. A level 1 ranger using this method could, if they are smart, defeat 2 bugbears (a Challenge Rating 2 creature) on their own.
Races
In the region of Atnor called the Green Coast, the available PC races are:
- Dwarf
- Elf
- Gnome
- Half-Elf
- Half-Orc
- Halfling
- Human
- Orc
The first seven races are unchanged mechanically from those found within the Core Rulebook, with the only modifications being to their assumed roles within the setting, which will be gone into more detail in their own individual posts.
Orcs on the other hand, have received some mechanical modifications. They receive the feat Power Attack at 1st level for free as well as loosing both Darkvision and Light Sensitivity. In the place of Darkvision they receive Low-Light Vision.
The orcs of this setting are not like those of other settings that you may be familiar with. Are orcs savage? Sure. Do they raid more civilized lands? No. Orcs in the Green Coast are pastoral nomads, herding flocks of livestock and trading wool, leather, milk, and meat for the other raw materials that they need.
Starting Gold & Equipment
PCs begin play with 150 gold pieces with which to purchase their starting equipment. A rule that we use in our games and highly recommend, is to allow one weapon or piece of armor a free upgrade to masterwork. This upgrade comes with the caveat that there must be some kind of story attached to that masterwork item. This results in the player thinking on their character's past and backstory, further fleshing out the character.
Example: The sling carried by the halfling Hanabek was gifted to him by his father. It was made from scrap pieces of leather from his shoe store after he learned that his son was working for a gang to protect the store, and was given to Hanabek with the words "Be careful."
One of the racial weapons in core Pathfinder does not exist in this setting: the orc double-ax. Both of us have used real axes, and cannot fathom why such a weapon would be designed because its nature as a double weapon robs it of the primary purpose of an ax: letting gravity add power to your swing. Instead, orcs have a different racial weapon: the orc dire claws.
Orc Dire Claws | Light Exotic | 10 gp | 1d6 (medium) | 19-20/*2 | 2 lbs. | S or P | Special
Special: Orc
dire claws are intended to be used in pairs. They can be used by anyone
proficient with punching daggers, but in order to gain their full use one must
be specially trained in their use. A user proficient with them may lower the
penalties to fighting with two weapons by 1/1 (to a minimum of -1/-1). An orc dire claw must be wielded in each hand in order to gain this benefit.Traits
We utilize the optional Trait system as, like with the masterwork upgrade above, it helps encourage backstory development and makes the players think about how their characters got to where they are. We frequently use the short Character Traits pdf by Paizo which can be found on this page.
Magic Items
The default assumption of Pathfinder is that the players will periodically swap out most of their gear for items with more powerful enchantments as they advance in level. While this is fine in most settings, it doesn't allow for heirloom items to remain relevant from 1st level on. For that reason we utilize an alternate system published in Pathfinder Unchained. This system applies most of the features that magic items provide automatically as characters level up. Any adventures that we provide will be written with this system in mind.
Leveling
In our games we tend not to use experience points as a way of keeping track of when a character should level up. Instead we judge when a character should level based on when a milestone in the story is reached. This is similar to Pathfinder Society's method of 3 adventures per level, but it is more flexible for a wide array of different stories.
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